When a media consumption device, such as a television (TV) or radio is turned on, it is typically tuned to the last channel or station that the viewer or user watched or listened to. In the case of a TV, if the viewer wishes to watch another channel or source of program content, the viewer must operate a remote control device to tune away from the current channel to the desired channel or source of program content. Alternatively, the viewer will use the remote control device to navigate through (i) an electronic program guide (EPG) to find a channel of interest, or (ii) a catalog of one or more OTT media services (e.g., video-on-demand (VOD), Netflix®, Hulu®) to find a source of program content.
Many media consumers have highly predictable media consumption behaviors. For example, many TV viewers only watch TV at certain times of the day, especially during weekdays, and typically watch the same TV shows and program content during these respective times of day. Evening viewing behaviors typically differs from morning viewing behaviors. Viewers will thus typically need to perform the channel switching and channel surfing activities described above, often multiple times per day. It would be desirable if these activities could be minimized, thereby improving the user's media consumption experience. The present invention fulfills such a need by providing a new paradigm of program content selection and presentation that operates in parallel with existing processes.
Many media platforms present program content recommendations using periodic pop-up messages and the like. These recommendations are often based on previous media consumption. To act on such messages, the user must navigate away from their current program content, and must also remember the message, if it is no longer on the display screen when the user wishes to act on it. The present invention also provides a new paradigm of program content selection and presentation for handling such recommendations.